1. Of course, the major news this week is the death of the Holy Father.

My own opinion of Pope Francis’s pontificate is completely irrelevant; let us all pray for his soul and for the upcoming conclave.

2. That and…

3. I successfully made it through a ‘Black Fast’ this Triduum; fasting from Holy Thursday Mass through Easter Vigil. By the end of it, I felt a wonderful sense of clarity, as though I was able to see how unimportant most of the things we usually worry over really are. When you’ve gone long enough without food that it hurts, you stop thinking of any worldly things as being especially vital. You don’t think about food either. Instead, your mind fixes more easily on the things of Heaven and matters above the earthly and physical.

This is why, of course, all religions make a point of fasting and ascetic practices.

Doing really hard fasts is the best way to really see why you do hard fasts. Spiritual pleasures don’t make much appeal until you start to experience them.

4. Recently took a more substantial (though still pretty superficial, admittedly) look into Amerigo Vespucci. I admit, my previous ideas on him seem completely wrong; I’d had the notion that he was a bit of a shady character whose name was attached to the new continent more by mistake or lies than actual achievement. In fact, he was actually a pretty significant figure in the very early exploration days; a contemporary of Columbus who may have reached the mainland first (the dates are a little uncertain) and who almost certainly was the first to realize they had found an entirely new continent and hadn’t in fact reached Asia. Hence why, when
Martin Waldseemueller, a German mapmaker, made the first map to show the new world, he named it after Amerigo.

Rather like Lugosi and Karloff, the idea of a rivalry between Columbus and Vespucci is mostly mythical: the two corresponded on friendly and respectful terms.

Vespucci’s an intriguing character who really deserves more attention, rather than being a footnote in history. Especially when you remember that he’s the only man in history to have a continent – or rather, two continents – named after him.

5. And in answer to the question you’re all wondering: “Amerigo” means “Master of the House” or “Home Ruler”.

A small, mean part of me wishes it had been something less suitable.

6. It’s a rather fine thing to come across the origin point of a famous saying: I happened upon “Hate the sin, love the sinner” while reading The City of God this week.

7. And in a watershed moment: Sabaton has reached the Crusades!